Top Associate, Bachelor's & Master's Degree Programs, Careers and Salary Options
For some students, there is an easy answer to the choice of career options and field of study. It may be a life-long wish formed in early childhood or the profession that is a family tradition. For most students, the choice of field and career is not simple. Selecting a career and field of study should involve careful thought for prospective students. The best way to make the choice is to put some time and effort into the process. This can increase your chance of making a great choice and finding a satisfying and rewarding career, whether you are considering only on-campus programs or online degree programs.
There are many choices for fields and careers. In terms of popularity, computers and technology rank near the top as does healthcare and related fields. Education and social services have a middle rank along with the arts and communications. Science is in the top ten along with the business fields. The vocational trades and transportation also form a significant part of the top career fields. Depending on the field or career path you choose and how your school search goes, it may be best for some students to earn bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, or even doctoral degrees.
Adaptability
Change is the consistent theme of the information age, and successful careers have the capacity to welcome and adapt to technological change and innovations. Adaptability includes the ability to join in the sharp or gradual transformations that constantly occur in typical work environments. This is much of the reason why those in management positions earn advanced degrees, such as MBA or Master’s of Business Administration degrees.
Creativity and Imagination
Successful careers require the ability to think creatively and use your imagination. In many fields, success depends on developing new ideas and fresh concepts. Successful careers include the risk of trying and failing but learning in the process. Creativity involves the traits of resilience and persistence.
Critical Thinking
Problem-solving is an important attribute. Successful careers involve taking in the challenges of the field of study or workplace and striving to make significant contributions. Critical thinking uses logic, independent thinking, and strong analytical senses to develop ideas and concepts.
Interpersonal Relationships
Success in any career benefits from a positive approach and willingness to work as leaders or followers. In the modern corporation and the high-technology workplace, being able to relate to everyone in the building is a must.
Campus learning is synchronous learning, in which students gather at the same time and place to participate in classroom work. Campus learning centers around a physical campus and students must either live on or near the campus or commute to their lessons. It does have many advantages. Students can live in a community of scholars and interact with faculty and other students through face-to-face interactions. Students learn valuable socialization skills. However, campus learning typically requires students to leave their homes, jobs, and families to attend school. This may not be practical for people that work or have other important obligations that require their presence.
Online classes makes education accessible to millions of people that either cannot, or prefer not to, attend classes on a physical campus. These include online associate degrees, online bachelor’s degree programs and master’s degree programs. Online education permits full- or part-time attendance for working people, business people, and persons that for various reasons cannot attend on-campus. One field that offers many online classes and ultimately an accredited online degree, is the business field. This is especially useful for graduate students who are trying to reach their career goals. Online learning is asynchronous, meaning that students learn individually and at different times. Online education provides flexibility as students can access class content on their schedules rather than on the school’s schedule.
The hybrid method combines on-campus courses and online coursework into a custom or school-made program. Some students may prefer to take as many courses as possible online and attend on-campus classes only as required. Other students may prefer to attend on-campus classes except for the times or courses that they cannot fit into their schedule. The hybrid approach accommodates many types of student situations.
The below-listed items provide an overview of typical degree requirements:
Associate degrees online require approximately 60-65 semester credit hours. Students can complete the degree in two to three years.
Online bachelor’s programs typically require 120-125 semester hours and students can complete the curriculum in four to five years. The typical online experience is often completed in four to six or more years because many online students attend an online program part-time while managing full or part-time jobs, businesses, or other obligations.
The master’s degree requires a bachelor’s degree. In addition to the pre-requisite level of education, a graduate degree curriculum, including online graduate programs, requires 30-36 hours of coursework and a dissertation or capstone project.
Associate and bachelor’s programs accept high school graduates or GED diploma holders. However, they may apply other academic standards to the admission process as well. The college and major you choose can require completion of the SAT or ACT exams and may have a minimum score necessary for entry. Once you are in the program, you are often required to maintain a certain average GPA (grade point average) in order to remain. Colleges and universities sometimes make use of academic probation or suspensions in order to make sure the students in their programs are dedicated to learning.
Many schools and majors require admissions testing for undergraduate and graduate online school admissions. Undergraduate admissions typically ask for the SAT or ACT to rate students on learning potential, and efficiency in reading, science, and math. In a similar way, graduate schools require general or specialized tests. Some schools do not require them, and many secondary education institutions have procedures that can waive the exam in cases of substantial life or work experience.
Some fields also value experience and put a higher value on industry experience. Students who have both experience and some form of graduate degree or professional degree from an accredited institution, will have better career opportunities with employers. Nursing is an example, as is teaching, of a field in which various levels of education require hands-on experience as either a prerequisite or a learning mechanism.
Many schools and majors require admissions testing for undergraduate and graduate online school admissions. Undergraduate admissions typically ask for the SAT or ACT to rate students on learning potential, and efficiency in reading, science, and math. In a similar way, graduate schools require general or specialized tests. Some schools do not require them, and many secondary education institutions have procedures that can waive the exam in cases of substantial life or work experience.
Some fields also value experience and put a higher value on industry experience. Students who have both experience and some form of graduate degree or professional degree from an accredited institution, will have better career opportunities with employers. Nursing is an example, as is teaching, of a field in which various levels of education require hands-on experience as either a prerequisite or a learning mechanism.